Supply module for feeding electrical components to an automatic placement device

ABSTRACT

A supply module for feeding electrical components to an automatic component-mounting machine has a locking element which is a piezoceramic bending transducer that extends in the longitudinal direction of the supply module along a supply path for the components. A free end of the locking element projects into a window of the supply module to an extent such that the locking element is located slightly above the component which has been conveyed there and is ready for removal. By applying an operating voltage to the locking element, the locking element can be deflected laterally to an extent such that it is moved out of the coverage region over the component transversely with respect to the component advancing direction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a supply module for feeding electricalcomponents to an automatic component-mounting machine.

2. Description of the Related Art

A module of this type has been disclosed e.g. by European patentdocument EP 0 460 834 A1, according to which the components are storedin a carrier belt that is drawn progressively through the module. Inthis case, the components are conveyed to a collection position under aslide which can be moved in the advancing direction. In order to preventthe components from jumping out upon jerky advancing of the belt, theslide initially covers the collection position, and releases it upon theapproach of a removal tool of the automatic component-mounting machine,so that the component can be removed e.g. by means of a suction pipette.The slide is actuated by means of a lever mechanism coupled to a drivefor the component belt, the slide excursion being equal to the pitch ofthe component belt.

Supply modules of this type are kept as narrow as possible so that thelargest possible number can be arranged in the access region of thecomponent-mounting tool. Components of different lengths can beaccommodated in component belts of the same width. The belt advancing isdesigned such that the advancing length can be matched to the differentpitches of the belt. The slide excursion must be kept large enough thateven the longest components can be reliably covered.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is based on the object of simplifying the supplymodule with regard to the securing and release of the components. Thisobject is achieved by means of the invention in a supply module forfeeding electrical components to an automatic component-mountingmachine, in which case the components can be displaced in the supplymodule into a collection position from which they can be removed by acomponent-mounting head of the automatic component-mounting machine andcan be placed onto a component carrier to be populated, a removal sideof the collection position can be blocked by means of an adjustablelocking element that covers the supplied component at least partially ina blocking position and that releases the component in a removalposition, the locking element is designed as a strip extending in theadvancing direction, the width of which strip is less than the lateraldistance between the component and an adjacent exterior side of thesupply module, the exterior side extending in the advancing directionand being perpendicular to the advancing plane, and the locking elementcan be moved transversely with respect to the advancing direction intothe edge region between the component and the exterior side.

The maximum length of the components oriented in the advancing directionis considerably larger than the maximum width. The transversallydeflectable locking element thus requires a smaller excursion which,moreover, may be independent of the dimensions of the component. As aresult, the actuating mechanism of the locking element can be designedconsiderably more simply. In the case of wide components, in particular,it is possible that the locking element is narrower than the components.It is therefore advantageous if the locking element covers the center ofthe components at a short distance in the blocking position, in order toreliably impede the component on emplacement.

Advantageous developments of the invention are provided by the lockingelement being designed as a narrow finger projecting in the advancingdirection, the free end of which finger forming the strip and projectinginto the removal region of the component in the blocking position, andthe free end being movable into the edge region by lateral deflection.In a preferred embodiment, the finger is designed as a freely projectingbending spring which is anchored by its non-free end on a fixed bearingof the supply module. In one embodiment, the bending spring is designedas an electrically actuable bending transducer, in particular ofpiezoceramic.

The finger can, for example, be mounted pivotably at its other end andbe held in its blocking position by a torsion spring. A particularadvantage is that the locking element can be arranged and mountedcompletely above the component belt. The finger can be laterallydeflected e.g. by means of a simple plunger having a small excursion.

A further development simplifies the locking even more. The bendingspring located edgewise above the component belt can easily be deflectedlaterally but is sufficiently stiff in the direction perpendicular tothe belt plane to absorb the small emplacement forces of the components.The locking element is anchored on the supply module only at itsnon-free end and requires no additionally support or guidance,whatsoever.

Another development combines the drive and blocking functions of thelocking element in one structural part which can be actuated simply byapplying an electric voltage. Such bending transducers can be acquiredinexpensively in suitable dimensions. The mechanical outlay is limitedto the fixed clamping point on the supply module and to the connectionof an electrical line to the electrical potentials present in the supplymodule.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is explained in more detail below using anexemplary embodiment which is illustrated in the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic side view of a supply module for feedingelectrical components to an automatic component-mounting machine,

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the supply module according to FIG. 1 with alocking element located in the blocking position,

FIG. 3 shows the supply module according to FIG. 2 with the lockingelement in an open position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

According to FIGS. 1 and 2, a component belt 1 unwound from a reel 10 isguided through a supply module 2 at a short distance from an exteriorside 3 of the supply module 2 in accordance with the dashed lines, theexterior side 3 extending in the longitudinal direction of the componentbelt 1 and perpendicularly to the plane thereof.

The component belt 1 has pockets 4 strung closely together in itslongitudinal direction and serving for accommodating electricalcomponents 5 that are to be supplied. The component belt 1 is drawnprogressively through the supply module 2 in accordance with the pitchspacing of the pockets 4 by means of a drive 12. In this case, thecomponents 5 pass under a window 6—open to the top—of the supply module1, where they can be gripped by a suction pipette of acomponent-mounting head 16 for populating printed circuit boards and belifted out in accordance with the arrow 18 perpendicular to thecomponent belt 1 in FIG. 1. The advancing direction of the componentbelt 1 is indicated by the horizontal arrow 20.

There is arranged above the supply path of the component belt 1 alocking element 7 after the manner of a leaf spring clamped at one end,which spring extends in the central plane of the components 5 along thesupply path and the material plane of which spring is perpendicular tothe plane of the component belt 1. The free end of the locking element 7projects from the supply direction into the window 6 to an extent suchthat it is located centrally above the component 5 which is situatedtherein and which is ready for removal. As a result, this exposedcomponent 5 is prevented from changing its collection position uponjerky advancing of the component belt 1. The locking element 7 isdesigned as a piezoelectric bending transducer whose other end isclamped in a fixed bearing 8 of the supply module 2. The locking element7 extends rectilinearly in the inactivated state.

In the region of the fixed bearing 8, electrical lines 9 are connectedto the piezoceramic locking element 7 from a control 22. When a voltageis applied by the control 22, the locking element 7 is deflectedlaterally as shown in FIG. 3 to an extent such that it releases thecomponent 5 which is ready for removal, which component is then liftedout of the pocket 4 of the component belt 1 in accordance with thevertical arrow in FIG. 1. The applied voltage is then switched off,whereupon the locking element 7 springs back to its starting positionand projects above the subsequent component.

Although other modifications and changes may be suggested by thoseskilled in the art, it is the intention of the inventors to embodywithin the patent warranted hereon all changes and modifications asreasonably and properly come within the scope of their contribution tothe art.

1. A supply module for feeding electrical components to an automaticcomponent-mounting machine having a component-mounting head, comprising:a component displacement apparatus operable to displace the electricalcomponents in an advancing direction along an advancing plane to aremoval position, said removal position being configured to permit thecomponents to be removed by the component-mounting head of the automaticcomponent-mounting machine, said component displacement apparatusdefining a removal opening at said removal position, thecomponent-mounting head removing the electrical components through saidremoval opening; an adjustable locking element that at least partiallyblocks the electrical component at the removal opening when saidadjustable locking element is in a blocking position and that releasesthe electrical component at the removal opening when said adjustablelocking element is in a removal position, said adjustable lockingelement including a strip extending in the advancing direction, saidstrip having a width of less than a lateral distance between theelectrical component at the removal opening and an adjacent exteriorside of the component displacement apparatus, said adjacent exteriorside extending in the advancing direction and being perpendicular to theadvancing plane, said adjustable locking element being electricallyactuated to selectively move transversally with respect to the advancingdirection into an edge region between the electrical component at theremoval position and the exterior side, wherein said adjustable lockingelement is a narrow finger projecting in the advancing direction, saidnarrow finger having a free end forming the strip and projecting intothe removal position over the electrical component in the blockingposition, and said free end being movable into the edge region bylateral deflection, and wherein said narrow finger is a single freelyprojecting bending spring, said freely projecting spring having anon-free end and being anchored by said non-free end on a fixed bearingof the component displacement apparatus.
 2. The supply module as claimedin claim 1, wherein said freely projecting bending spring is anelectrically actuable bending transducer.
 3. The supply module asclaimed in claim 2, wherein said electrically actuable bendingtransducer is of piezoceramic material.